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Ben Carson Closing on Donald Trump in New Poll; Flash Floods Kill 16 in Utah; Two Major Fires Scorching Northern California Counties; Migrants Stranded in Hungary; North Korea Threatens U.S. with Nuclear Weapons; Iranians' Concerns Over Republican Candidates; Yazidi Women Escape ISIS and Rebuild Their Lives; Russia May Be Building Base in Syria; Super Fans Cheer for Their Favorite Candidate. Aired 12-1a ET
Aired September 16, 2015 - 00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[00:00:12] JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Lots of hats. Not many details as Donald Trump gives a major speech on national security from the upper deck of a decommissioned battleship.
And striking distance the soft-spoken Ben Carson closes in on the Republican frontrunner.
Also in the U.S. deadly floods. A wall of water and debris sweeping away mothers and their children.
And North Korea back in the nuclear business, restarting its main reactor and warning the U.S. and others it's ready to unleash its nuclear arsenal.
Hello, everybody. Great to have you with us. I'd like to welcome our viewers in the United States and all around the world. I'm John Vause. The first hour of CNN NEWSROOM begins right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: That one minute goes really by fast.
SEN. TED CRUZ (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There are two ways to run, scared and unopposed. I'm not unopposed. So we're going to continue hard.
GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: To those of you who are not supportive yet, you'll get there. And --
(LAUGHTER)
And we'll continue to work to make sure you get there.
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I hear they're all going after me. Whatever. Whatever.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Get ready to rumble. The stage is set for Wednesday night's CNN Republican Presidential Debate. And while most of the candidates spent the day preparing, well, frontrunner, Donald Trump, was on the campaign trail. Just a few hours ago on board the World War II battleship the USS Iowa. Trump delivered what he called a major policy speech on national security. It was over just 15 minutes with few specifics on defense or foreign policy but there was a lot of bluster.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We are going to come out with some plans in a very short time. We're going to be building up our military. We're going to make our military so big and so strong and so great. And it will be so powerful that I don't think we're ever going to have to use it. Nobody's going to mess with us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: A new poll shows Republican Ben Carson closing fast on Donald Trump. The "New York Times"-CBS News survey shows Trump with 27 percent followed by Carson with 23. And for Carson that's a 17-point jump from the last poll which was taken just before the Republican debate in August. As for the former frontrunner, Jeb Bush, he's lost more than half of his support over the past month. The poll's margin of error is plus or minus six percentage points, making the race between Trump and Carson a virtual dead heat.
So ahead of round two of the Republican debate, the Donald is dominating, Bush is fading, and possibly the biggest surprise of all the surgeon is surging. Ben Carson's campaign attributes that 17- point jump in the polls to the power of nice. And with that we'll head to Dallas and CNN political commentator Ben Ferguson.
Always nice to talk with you, Ben.
BEN FERGUSON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Good to be here.
VAUSE: We'll go to the debate in a moment but explain to me, not the why but the how. How did Carson actually jump 17 points? Because, you know, like everybody else not called Trump, he's not getting a lot of coverage. I haven't seen any advertising.
FERGUSON: Yes.
VAUSE: He speaks really quietly. So how? How did his campaign actually do this?
FERGUSON: He may be the most dull, brilliant candidate I have ever watched. And it's because he's talking policy and actual ideas. He's talking initiatives, he's talking about what he would do differently with specifics, not generalities. And I think there is a big hunger within the GOP for someone to talk about actual policy ideas and plans that they can understand, that you can sit there and actually discuss and analyze whereas many of the other candidates out there, they went after Donald Trump and tried to out-Trump him.
And they got into these fights and wars with him. That didn't work. But Ben Carson stayed true to who he was. He didn't overreach. He didn't try to be a candidate he's not and I think people really like that and the fact that people said he was dull and boring, you know, when Donald Trump is saying that you're more boring than Jeb Bush and you know, you can fall asleep while listening to this guy, I think it actually made people listen more to what he was saying and they wanted to know if he really was in fact that boring. If you listen to him he's a really smart guy.
VAUSE: I'm wondering about this second Republican debate. Could this be the time when some of those candidates who aren't getting airtime, who aren't getting oxygen, will they start dropping out for no other reason other than money? There just isn't enough money out there to keep 16 candidates in the game.
FERGUSON: Yes.
VAUSE: And if they don't do well at this second debate it's hard to convince the donors to keep coughing up.
FERGUSON: Look, if you're on the two, three, four, you know, percentage polls nationally right now this debate is literally your political life on stage. And you better come out and perform really well.
VAUSE: Keep this them in mind because we've got -- again, we got the two debates.
FERGUSON: Yes.
VAUSE: We got the kiddie warm-up table act, whatever you want to call it.
FERGUSON: Yes.
(LAUGHTER)
[10:05:02] VAUSE: Is it really all over for them? Because try and answer this for me. Who are they actually debating? They can't take on Donald Trump, the frontrunner, which is what happens when you're behind. They're not debating Democrats, they're not debating each other because who really cares, because none of them really have a chance of getting the nomination.
What's the point of this second tier debate?
FERGUSON: Well, look at Carly Fiorina. Obviously she became --
VAUSE: I knew you were going to say that.
FERGUSON: She became the big winner out of the first one and everyone thought that she was a write-off at that point.
Do you think there will be another breakout candidate from this one? Now --
VAUSE: But do you think there'd be another breakout candidate from this debate or is the moment gone?
FERGUSON: I know, I think there absolutely can be. And here's the one interesting thing about Donald Trump. The X factor of Trump being in this race. There are going to be so many people that watch this debate tomorrow night that would have never even thought about watching 14 months before the Election Day. Think about this. I mean, we're basically 14 months out. But I know people that could care less about politics that are literally scheduling Wednesday night like it's a Monday Night Football or a playoff game for their home team that they love because they want to see what's going to happen.
So if you do do well and people are talking about it, the same way they were like about Carly Fiorina, it can actually not just save your campaign, it can literally catapult you into a new level.
VAUSE: OK. And final question, having Carly Fiorina on that big kids stage.
FERGUSON: Yes.
VAUSE: Does that change the dynamic in any way having a woman out there on the stage?
FERGUSON: I don't think so. I mean, most of the candidates, and I would say all of them, really, excluding Donald Trump, they know how to be kind and polite. And they're not going to risk looking like they are being mean to a woman. I think they know how to be tough and have a blunt conversation. I also think it's great practice for everybody on stage because if they do in fact have to go against Hillary Clinton why not get a little practice with Carly Fiorina?
I mean, if you're looking at this as a -- you know, a debate prep for the big, big stage which could be after the nomination, I think most of them have no problem with it. They're not nervous. You know, when it comes to Donald Trump, I think he will say whatever the heck he wants to say about Carly Fiorina. He's already done it in the past saying, look at that face, can you believe that face?
VAUSE: Yes.
FERGUSON: So, you know, I'm not sure Donald Trump can do anything at this point to really hurt himself. He's like Teflon.
VAUSE: Yes. What doesn't kill him only makes him stronger.
FERGUSON: Yes.
VAUSE: Ben, good to talk to you. Thanks so much.
FERGUSON: Thanks, man.
VAUSE: You may have heard we're actually hosting this debate on Wednesday. The Republican presidential candidates will face off in back-to-back debates. You can watch them live starting 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time in the U.S. That's 11:00 p.m. in London, 6:00 a.m. Thursday in Hong Kong. You will see it only here on CNN. We go to Utah now where flash floods have killed at least 16 people.
Most of the victims were in cars swept away by a wall of water and debris. Some hikers also died in the flooding and others are still missing. Search crews will be back at it on Wednesday. They had to stop on Tuesday night because of flash flood warnings as well as bad weather. At least nine of the dead are women and children returning home from a trip to a park when they were hit by the surging floodwaters.
We get details now from Kyung Lah.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A frantic search using heavy machinery or their own muscle. Volunteer Chris Wyler dug all night.
CHRIS WYLER, VOLUNTEER: I was digging through that. I was just picturing if it was one of my babies out there, and just wanted to keep pushing.
LAH: Desperate to find the women and their children, one as young as 4 years old, swept away in these rushing waters. They were in their cars when flash floods struck caused by heavy rain in the mountains above this canyon town.
As the search stretches into the morning hours, relatives and friends begin to line the muddy banks. Many in this community are members of Warren Jeffs' polygamous sect known as the FLDS. They learned three survived. The rest either missing or found dead.
Flash floods can overwhelm without warning as Lydia Wyler learned. She was recording this video, not worried at first --
LYDIA WYLER, WITNESS: At the time we were just awestruck. It was just amazing. Just wow.
LAH: Then this happened.
(On camera): When you saw those kids and the women coming out of that car --
WYLER: I didn't realize until that time. Then all of a sudden, it's like my heart started pounding. I was like, oh, my goodness. This is like seriously dangerous. And then it started, the vehicle started sliding.
LAH (voice-over): All the victims in this car escaped unharmed. But for the others missing on the banks of this river, a deeply religious community prays for a miracle.
Kyung Lah, CNN, Colorado City, Arizona.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Light rain is in the forecast for northern California. And that could in fact bring some much-needed help to firefighters who are battling the Valley wildfire. Hundreds of homes have gone up in flames. Thousands more remain under threat. One woman died when the blaze trapped her inside her home.
The Valley Fire, as it's called, is one of a number of wildfires burning in the state which has been suffering from an historic drought. The flames have caused about 24,000 people to evacuate their homes.
For more on California's fire emergency we are joined by Mark Ghilarducci, he is the director of the Office of Emergency Services. He's on the line from the state capital Sacramento.
[00:10:07] Mark, thank you for being with us. What's the latest on the containment of those two big fires, the Valley Fire and the Butte Fire?
MARK GHILARDUCCI, DIRECTOR, GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES: Well, on the Valley Fire, we're about 30 -- 15 percent or so, between 15 percent and 30 percent contained. We were able to make some pretty good progress in the last 24 hours because we had some cooler temperatures. Yes, we actually had a slight amount of precipitation that helped firefighters get -- affected the fire a little bit. But we still have quite a bit to go. And the acreage of course now is roughly 67,000 acres.
VAUSE: Is there an update on how soon some of these residents may actually be able to return to their homes? We're looking at, what, 24,000 people or so who've actually had to leave?
GHILARDUCCI: Yes. We've estimated about that many and we've got roughly about 1,000 or so that are in shelters currently. And you know, we're hoping to get some of the areas open by this weekend where they could at least try to get back into the area. The problem is that many of the community subdivisions and housing areas have been lost in this fire. So there's really not much to go back to. And we're going to have to take it very slowly because a lot of it is debris that gets generated in these fires and as hazardous materials and other kinds of contaminants that we're going to have to be careful about getting people back into the area.
VAUSE: Some sad days ahead for a lot of people there, Mark, I guess.
Mark Ghilarducci on the line there from Sacramento for the latest on those fires. Thanks for being with us, Mark.
GHILARDUCCI: Thank you.
VAUSE: OK. Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri joins us with more on this.
We just heard from Mark that good weather.
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes.
VAUSE: And we're hoping for a little bit more good weather to come. But jeez, these fires. You know, when you start measuring in thousands of acres, and it's easier to do in the square miles, you know you've got a problem.
JAVAHERI: Yes, it's a big problem. Yes. Four times the size of the city of San Francisco when you combine the Valley and Butte Fire as far as how much land this has consumed. And much of it happened from Saturday into Sunday. So this is -- has the potential, the Valley Fire at least does, to be one of the most destructive fires in California history. And that says so much because we know the major fire --
(CROSSTALK)
VAUSE: It's a regular bit. Yes.
JAVAHERI: It's becoming a regular thing. Absolutely.
So we'll show you here as far as the improvements on the weather condition. We have talked about some showers rolling on in towards the region so as we put the maps in motion, we go in for a close perspective.
The showers have been very light in nature. Quarter of an inch, half an inch at the very most. Around Clear Lake which is in close proximity to Valley Fire area but here comes the storm system. This particular one is actually quite impressive, if you ask me, for this time of year. Has the potential for some decent snow showers that has already brought down some snow in the higher elevations. But the models take you through Wednesday night. The Valley Fire gets in on some moderate rainfall. So now we're talking respectable rainfall coming in.
And back to the east, the Butte Fire also taps into some moisture and over the next five years notice maybe a quarter of an inch, maybe a half an inch. So additional rainfall in the forecast certainly there.
Where we had rainfall and it was not just any rainfall, it was out of 4,000 September days on record for downtown Los Angeles this was the second wettest day ever observed for the city. Picking up over 2.3 inches of rainfall. Record rainfall. That's the most rainfall they've seen in two years at any one given date. Now you see from Culver City towards Santa Monica. Even Beverly Hills picking upward of two inches.
And what makes this even more impressive is look at the trend. September, one of the driest months of the year. You average about a quarter of an inch of rainfall. And we're picking up nearly three inches with this one particular event. Certainly a flooding concern across that region. The conditions there have been improved but want to take you in towards Mammoth Mountain where the snow showers are coming in at around 11,000 feet high. In fact look at these images from Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort. They typically get about 400 inches of snow per year. Tuesday, this was the scene in the higher elevations. There's some snow showers at least beginning to come in.
And, John, when you think about the observations as far as of course the Sierra snow packs, 30 percent of California's water comes from this snow pack. And notice the average line and then you drop it down to 5 percent of average which is what occurred in 2015. But fascinating study. To quickly leave you with a publish on Monday. That it's actually looking at tree ring observations. Because rainy season is in the three ring. Typically three rings are farther apart.
Dry season, they're very compacted as you have the three under significant stress. Now researchers looked at about 1500 blue oak trees and they found out the last time the tree rings were this compacted together was about the year 1500. So over 500 years ago. And tree ring observation when it comes to moisture, it has a very little margin of error. Incredibly accurate. So of course we don't have weather data going back 100 years but --
VAUSE: We got the trees.
JAVAHERI: We've got the trees and they're telling us the last time this happened is -- back in the 1500.
VAUSE: It's 600 years ago.
JAVAHERI: More than 600 years.
VAUSE: Wow. OK. Pedram, thank you.
JAVAHERI: Thanks, John.
VAUSE: OK.
Hundreds of migrants, maybe thousands, are waking up in Serbia today and hoping to continue their journey through Europe. But one of the main routes is sealed shut. Hungary has plugged the final hole in its border fence. Some migrants can still get into Hungary legally through two assigned checkpoints. Authorities say they have accepted 70 asylum applications and rejected 40. And nearly 300 migrants have been arrested for trying to cross illegally.
[00:15:24] The final destination for most of the migrants is Germany. Chancellor Angela Merkel says Germany will set up thousands of refugee reception centers across the country.
The migrants camped out in Serbia said they're not going anywhere until they can continue on into Europe. Ben Wedeman has that report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): "Open the door," they chant on the Serbian-Hungarian border. But their words fall on deaf ears. The door stays shut.
It slammed shut late Monday when Hungary closed off the main official and unofficial crossings and imposed harsh penalties for anyone trying to get over.
Baffled by the sudden change, this Syrian from Aleppo had a message for the prime minister of Hungary.
"We want to pass through Germany, Austria, Denmark, Sweden," he says. "No one wants to stay in your country."
Vows this Iraqi from Karbala, "We'll wait here for six years if we have to. We have nothing left to lose."
But Hungary says it must control its borders. Hundreds are now camped out in fields by the fence, hoping Hungary will soften its stance. More are on the way. 50-year-old Amin and his family have traveled for two months from Afghanistan. Sleeping in the rough has become routine.
(On camera): Bathroom? Toilet?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. No. No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No toilet.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're washing ourselves, nothing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nothing. Just out here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
WEDEMAN: Concertina wire and border police have temporarily stopped their progress. But despite their exhaustion, their determination to move ahead is undiminished. Aid officials seem flabbergasted by the scale of this crisis.
MELITA SUNJIC, UNHCR: I never thought I would see something like that in Europe. If Europe has a common European asylum system, and you look at this mess here, then where is it?
WEDEMAN: Not here. The children may be too young to understand while the parents, their fate yet again in the hands of the powerful, can only hope for a solution.
(On camera): At the moment, Hungary seems unwilling to open its gates, but for some of these people who've come from as far away as Afghanistan, turning around and going home is not an option.
Ben Wedeman, CNN, on the Serbian/Hungarian border.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: A short break here on CNN. When we come back, North Korea making threats and saying it's ready to use nuclear weapons anytime. We'll be live in Seoul with the very latest.
Also U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry warning Russia about involvement in Syria. The satellite images appear to suggest the Russians are building a military base there.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[00:22:13] VAUSE: The North Koreans say they're nuclear arsenal is growing and are warning to U.S. and others if they act mischievously they're ready to respond with nuclear weapons. We're going to get the details now from Brian Todd.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Kim Jong-Un rattles his nuclear saber at America. The head of his atomic energy program declaring, the regime is ready to use its nuclear weapons any time if the U.S. and others pursue their, quote, "reckless, hostile policy towards North Korea."
Kim is also declaring his nuclear program is at full speed. The regime says its main nuclear complex at Yongbyon, which produces material for nuclear weapons, is operating normally. A U.S. official tells CNN they have no reason to doubt the claim and analysts take the threat seriously.
KELSEY DAVENPORT, ARMS CONTROL ASSOCIATION: If you look here, the snowmelt in this area. Snowmelt again on the reactor. This would indicate that the reactor is functioning, it's giving off heat causing that snowmelt. Also here in August, you can see tracks leading into the reactor area. That again shows that there's significant activity going on at these sites.
TODD: Kim is said to be as obsessed with developing nuclear weapons as his father and grandfather were.
MARCUS NOLAND, PETERSON INST. FOR INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS: Remember, his grandfather, Kim Il-Sung, the founder of their country, saw the United States bring imperial Japan down to its knees with two nuclear weapons. So this is a regime that's been interested in nuclear weaponry for decades.
TODD: Kim is not stopping there. His regime announcing its preparing to launch a satellite into orbit for scientific purposes. The United Nations has warned North Korea to call off the rocket launch.
DAVENPORT: A satellite launch vehicle similar to this one pictured here could be used by North Korea to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile that's capable of reaching the United States and delivering a nuclear warhead.
TODD: The North Koreans aren't there yet. Weapons experts say they haven't tested re-entry on those missiles and they could break apart. Still these moves bring a warning from Washington demanding that Kim stop his provocations. U.S. officials taking no chances, making sure Kim knows what kind of missile defenses America has at the ready.
MARK LIPPERT, U.S. AMBASSADOR FOR SOUTH KOREA: Ground-based interceptors to Alaska, surface combatants to the Western Pacific. A THAAD battery on Guam, another radar in Japan in order to be ready and vigilant for anything that the North Koreans may or may not do.
TODD: Why is Kim doing all this now? Experts say he's under a great deal of pressure at the moment.
(On camera): Kim has got to show strength for the upcoming anniversary of the founding of North Korea's dictatorship and, analysts say, he's trying to keep his military leaders happy after purging so many of them, and letting them flex their nuclear muscle could be a way of keeping them at bay for the moment.
Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[00:25:00] VAUSE: Live now to Seoul, South Korea, and Kathy Novak joining us with more details on the story.
Kathy, is there any way to know exactly what the North Koreans mean when they say their nuclear program has steadily improved. Can that be qualified in any way?
KATHY NOVAK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, not really, John. All we really have to go by is this article in the state news agency KCNA. That's quoting this unnamed director of the Atomic Energy Institute. He reportedly is referring to reports in the Western media regarding North Korea's nuclear program and also refers to comments made back in 2013 that North Korea was vowing the restart this complex at Yongbyon.
Now if we look at some of the analysis around that complex, as we saw in Brian's story there, analysts do say there have been evidence of expansion and that North Korea was indeed looking like it was following through. But in terms of the weapons itself, when this KCNA article says it is steadily improving the quality and quantity of its nuclear arsenal.
Beyond that we don't really know what it's saying here is that it is threatening the U.S., that it has the capacity in the form of nuclear weapons to attack the U.S. But there are a lot of assumptions there that it has the nuclear weapons, that it can miniaturize them, load them on a ballistic missile and launch them to the U.S. main line. It doesn't seem to quite be there yet but as Brian was saying in that story, it must be taken seriously when you have any of these threats coming out of North Korea. And that's why we're seeing this response from the United States, from South Korea and around the region.
VAUSE: Kathy, if we strip away all the talk of attacking the U.S. and allies, we just focus on the stuff here about restarting the nuclear program. In the past North Koreans have been pretty upfront and true to their word when it comes to their nuclear program, and missile launches and that kind of thing. They had kept their word. When they said they'll do something, they'll do it. Any reason to suspect that that may not be the case this time?
NOVAK: Well, I guess the reason to suspect it might not be the case is simply because we can't verify anything coming out of North Korea. On the other hand as we've been discussing these threats must be taken seriously. And when it comes to the Korean Peninsula, the talk on the international stage is on how to get North Korea to denuclearize. And what we can see here is that it simply has no intention of doing that.
It really wants to build up this nuclear arsenal, whether or not it has that full capacity right now. We don't know. But that certainly seems to be the ambition of Kim Jong-Un. And then the extra information we have beyond what the North Korean regime says comes out of the satellite imagery out of expert analysis. But when we talk about the expansion of Yongbyon, again we saw the analysts there talking about snowmelt, for example, on the buildings at Yongbyon.
What some analysts is saying is that does indicate heating in the buildings and that there is expansion. But on the other hand it may not necessarily indicate that the complex is fully operational as, for example, the uranium enrichment site. So it all must be taken with a grain of salt but also taken seriously, John.
VAUSE: Yes. OK, Kathy, thank you. Kathy Novak live for us this hour in Seoul, South Korea,.
When we come back here on, the Iranians are listening, especially what the Republican presidential candidates have been saying.
Ahead, we'll find out how the Iranians feel about their opposition to the nuclear deal.
Also, young women and girls once held captive by ISIS find empowerment and a new life through photography.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[00:32:02] VAUSE: Welcome back, everybody. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. Live all around the world. I'm John Vause. The headlines this hour.
Hungary says it has accepted 70 asylum applications and rejected 40 since sealing its border with Serbia on Tuesday. Hundreds of migrants remain stranded in Serbia. The country's Interior minister says he will try to persuade Hungarian authorities to allow the migrants to cross the border.
In Utah, search and rescue efforts will resume on Wednesday for four people missing in flash floods. At least 16 have died in this disaster. Most of them women and children. They were returning home from a trip to a park when they were hit by the surging flood waters.
A "New York Times"-CBS News poll shows Ben Carson gaining ground on Donald Trump among Republican voters. Trump leads the survey with 27 percent, Carson has 23 percent, up from just 6 percent last month.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. SCOTT WALKER (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Ronald Reagan is something especially. Ronald Reagan helped to shape my view of the world.
CRUZ: Ronald Reagan. The Reagan revolution with the American people at his back stood up to the Washington cartel.
TRUMP: I've evolved on many issues over the years and you know who else has? It's Ronald Reagan. JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: That's the party I believe in.
Reagan and Bush.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, will host Wednesday night's CNN Republican Presidential Debate. Our crews have been putting the finishing touches on that stage over there and our special coverage begins 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time in the U.S. That will be 11:00 p.m. in London. It's worth staying up for. 6:00 a.m. Thursday in Hong Kong. Worth getting up early for.
And while most of the candidates spent Tuesday getting ready, Donald Trump spoke to supporters aboard the USS Iowa, which was brought in Los Angeles. He promised to strengthen the U.S. military and support the country's veterans. He also took a shot at the Iran nuclear deal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: It is one of the dumbest deals and one of the weakest contracts I've ever seen of any kind. We're not going to sign deals where we have four prisoners over there and they are still there and we don't even ask if one of them is there because he's a Christian. We have a writer, we have -- the whole thing is absolutely insane.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: And Trump is not alone among the Republicans who are opposing the Iran nuclear deal. The agreement is expected to feature prominently in this Republican debate. And as Fred Pleitgen reports, the Iranians are closely listening to what those candidates have to say.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): From Donald Trump to Jeb Bush to Carly Fiorina, Republican presidential candidates have been talking tough on Iran. Some even threatening to cancel the nuclear agreement if they win. Words that have some Iranians worried, says analyst Emad Abshenass.
EMAD ABSHENASS, SENIOR JOURNALIST: If you live in Iran, you should be afraid, what's going to happen? Is there a plan to attack Iran? Are they planning to attack Iran? What would happen to us?
[00:35:10] PLEITGEN: On Tehran's streets, as you'd expect, the majority don't even know the names of the GOP candidates.
(On camera): Of course the vast majority of Iranians aren't following the U.S. election campaign, especially in these early stages but there certainly are some who are frustrated with the way many Republican candidates have been criticizing their country.
(Voice-over): But those we spoke to also believe the rhetoric coming from the candidates is just that, campaign talk. "When they speak about the nuclear deal, they don't think of the
benefit for the American people," this man says. "They just think about their own benefit. So I think the Republicans have shown that for their benefit they will do anything."
"As far as I know, this is the party of George Bush and Ronald Reagan," this man adds. "They were much stronger than these people and they could not touch us either. So these guys can't do anything."
Contempt from Iran's hard liners. The Kayhan newspaper is the voice of the country's conservatives. Its boss, Hossein Shariatmadari, is an official representative of Iran's supreme leader. He picked on the last Republican president's brother.
"Jeb Bush's talk is bigger than his mouth," he said. "He should consider if he really wants to continue the failed policies of his brother. We don't care what the Republicans say. It's a big step from talking to taking action."
While many Iranians dismiss the tough talk from Republicans running for the White House, as the election draws closer, many more will be paying attention, eager to see what a new president will mean for U.S.-Iranian relations and the nuclear agreement.
Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Tehran.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: There have been so many sad stories coming out of the refugee crisis sweeping across Europe and the Middle East but there have also been occasional moments of hope.
Atika Shubert met some brave women of the Yazidi religious minority who escaped ISIS and are now rebuilding their lives. And they're doing it through photography.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hello, my name is Dena. I am a photojournalist.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hello. My name is Ruth. I am a photojournalist.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hello. My name is (INAUDIBLE). I am a photojournalist.
ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): These are just a small group of girls who escaped from Sinjar last August when ISIS brutally encroached upon their homes, killing and capturing many. They now heal through photography at a camp for displaced Yazidis. This project run by UNICEF helps empower girls to tell their own stories through photos.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm 19 years old. This picture is my favorite picture. I took it in a dressmaking course. It is my favorite picture because this woman was working as a tailor. She doesn't keep it.
SHUBERT: Some of these girls were captured and abused by ISIS, and now have found a way to rebuild their lives. Many hundreds didn't have the same chance. This video circulating online shows ISIS fighters selling captured Yazidi women. But for those who escaped, it is a chance to rebuild and to heal.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (Through Translation): This place is called Laleche. There are sacred Yazidi graves here that people visit.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (Through Translation): I took this photo of an old Yazidi woman living in the camp. I took this photo because it shows her sad facial expressions.
SHUBERT (on camera): We've heard stories of great sadness, but there are also stories of incredible resilience and empowerment. And these young women are telling their stories through their own pictures and their own words.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (Through Translation): This photo is my favorite. There is fatigue in her face. Her face expressed tiredness. I chose to take this photo because she was wearing traditional Yazidi clothes, and so I decided to take a photo of her.
SHUBERT (voice-over): In a camp where nearly half of the residents are children, cases like these are replete with stories of loss. The U.N. estimates that hundreds of girls and women are still missing, held by ISIS as six slaves. The exact number is hard to determine. But for now, life through the lens captures tales of tragedy and hope.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My name is Rafi. I am a photojournalist.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, my name is (INAUDIBLE). I am a photojournalist.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am (INAUDIBLE). I'm a photojournalist.
SHUBERT: Atika Shubert, CNN, in Duhok, Kurdistan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[00:35:04] VAUSE: When we come back, the U.S. says Russians appear to be building a military base in Syria and that's starting fears the Kremlin may be about to get involved in a civil war there. We'll have more on that story after the break.
Also ahead, did the Russian president call Elton John? He says he did but Elton says he didn't. That story when CNN NEWSROOM continues.
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VAUSE: At least 38 people are dead including 14 children after rebels fired rockets into a residential neighborhood of Aleppo, Syria. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says 150 people were injured and the death toll will most likely go up. The group says Tuesday's attack resulted in one of the heaviest death tolls from rebel bombardment of the regime held part of the city.
Australia says its air force carried out its first successful airstrikes over eastern Syria this week. The Defense Ministry says an ISIS armored vehicle was destroyed and the Australians say these operations will continue over northern Iraq and also eastern Syria.
U.S. military officials say they believe Russia is trying to set up a military base inside Syria. They say satellite images show Russian troops on the ground and dozens of vehicles, as well. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is warning Russia not to support Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, saying it could make the conflict worse. But Russia says it's delivering weapons to Syria under contracts which they've already agreed to.
Let's bring in retired lieutenant colonel and CNN military analysts Rick Francona. He joins us now from Golden, Colorado.
Colonel Francona, thanks for being with us. Let me put this to you. Given the total mess that Syria is right now, should the U.S. and its allies actually be looking at this Russian involvement that propping up Assad is a less bad option than a failed state controlled by ISIS?
LT. COL. RICK FRANCONA, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Yes. For some people that's a tempting -- because the Russians can bring a lot of fire power to bear. They have the skills and the equipment necessary to take on ISIS if they want to do that. And you have to give President Putin credit. He has assessed a threat to his interests and he's deployed a sizable force to Syria to take care of it.
[00:45:18] We on the other hand are getting in their way. We're forcing them to take the long way around. They used to fly down over Europe, now we're forcing them to fly over Iran and Iraq, it's much longer and much harder for them to do but they're doing it. So I'm not sure that Mr. Kerry's warnings are going to carry much weight with the Russians. They see a threat to their national interest, they're going to address it.
VAUSE: And just up the ante here, too, we heard Putin saying that there may be this possibility of convincing Assad to transition power, maybe have a power sharing arrangement with the opposition. Again, isn't that a better outcome than anything we've seen in the past four years since the Obama administration said Assad must go?
FRANCONA: Right. But things were different when we first said that. Of course we saw the rise of ISIS and then we've seen this utter collapse of the civilian -- civilian society in Syria. We see a civil war. So, you know, the situation has changed drastically. The Russians are interested in maintaining some sort of presence in Syria after this is all over. So they're willing to do whatever it takes to maintain that presence. If that means throwing Bashar al-Assad under the bus they may just be willing to do so.
So there's a possibility that the Russians may ease the amount in favor of somebody that will be favorable to their interest. They want to keep that naval base they've had for years and as you saw -- as you said earlier, they are building an airfield there. So that gives them a presence they don't have anywhere else in the Mediterranean.
VAUSE: Because I just want to compare, you know, what could be Putin's plan -- let's be honest, we're not entirely sure -- with the U.S. and its allies' plan because with the U.S. and the allies' plan come the very real prospect of what they call catastrophic success. In other words, if the objectives are met and that Assad goes, the entire place falls apart like Libya.
FRANCONA: Yes. And that's a threat. If Bashar al-Assad goes, then what follows him? And we've talked about this before. You know, we're looking at the battle not of Damascus, we're looking for the battle for Damascus. So it will just ignite even more of a civil war that's there now. Right now Damascus has been fairly peaceful. But all bets are off if Bashar is forced out of power.
And notice where the Russians are putting that airbase. It's up in the Latakia area, that northwestern corner of Syria where Bashar al- Assad's family is from. So it's quite clear that the Russians are backing him right now. I But don't know how long that's going to last.
VAUSE: Yes. There is some speculation that it's in Latakia and that could be essentially a hiding place or a safe haven for Assad to go to while he maybe could still be in power without actually wielding power? Is that --
FRANCONA: Yes. That's a good point. This area up there is easily defended because it is surrounded by a mountain range. Although the rebels are getting close, getting over those mountains is going to be an effort. And that's the one airfield that the Syrians can fly into and out of with impunity and that's why the Russians are there and it's very close to their port -- their naval base at Tartous. So it's a good place for them to be.
VAUSE: Very quickly, if the Russians are there to fight ISIS, which is what Putin said, why are they installing advanced air defense systems? I didn't think ISIS had an air force.
FRANCONA: Well, they're not -- they've advanced their defenses but they're very tactical and very short range.
VAUSE: OK.
FRANCONA: I wouldn't really regard it as a threat. Any military force, any prudent deployment will be with air defense assets. We take ours when we go.
VAUSE: OK. Always trying to reach more into that.
Colonel, thank you for being with us. We appreciate it.
FRANCONA: Sure.
VAUSE: A disputed phone call between Russia's president and superstar Elton John is causing a little bit of confusion. On Tuesday the rock star of "Crocodile Rock" fame announced on his Instagram account that Vladimir Putin telephones him to discuss LGBT equality in Russia. But a Russian spokesman says that phone call never actually happened. However, the spokesman said Mr. Putin would be open to discuss human rights issues. We've reached out to Sir Elton John. Still waiting to hear back.
Still to come here, super fans, start your engines, the political debate season is kicking into high gear. Better get your Donald Trump dress and your Jeb Bush neck tattoo ready to go. That's up next.
Plus, a story we think you social media junkies out there will like a lot. Facebook will soon be introducing that thumbs down button.
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[00:53:32] VAUSE: And so we continue to countdown to the CNN Republican Presidential Debate, Wednesday night in California. Also counting down are the super fans, the political groupies who can't wait to see their favorite candidates on that stage.
Here's John Berman.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: What candidate doesn't love a serving of rhythmic chanting? But the sweetest sight on a candidate's campaign trail --
BARBARA TOMASINO, DONALD TRUMP SUPPORTER: I am wearing Trump. I have my Trump purse.
BERMAN: A voter wearing her support on her sleeve or wherever.
TOMASINO: You cannot show up at a Donald Trump rally and not make a statement.
BERMAN: Super supporters spreading the word as best they can.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I guess I'm kind of a standard poster girl for Bernie Sanders.
BERMAN: This poster maker says Bernie Sanders is her Patronus, and for non-Harry Potter fans --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Patronus is a kind of positive force, it's the wisdom you can conjure on. It works something like a shield.
BERMAN: But who needs a shield when you've got campaign cardboard, oversized, life size, always agreeable and easy to pose with.
SHAY DOYLE, TRUMP SUPPORTER: He's going to fix everything. I swear.
BERMAN: Enthusiasm isn't just for adults. This tiny Trump fan was infatuated before the fifth grade.
DOYLE: The feeling of meeting your idol, you can't just replace it. You can't -- you can't go around it. SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Baby meet politician
moment.
BERMAN: And kissing? Well, it's not just for babies anymore as Chris Christie learned, affectionately, very affectionately.
[00:55:06] If you're not into smooching stick with stickers like this supporter. At least she will be able to change her mind. Unlike this guy who claimed on Twitter to have won a Jeb Bush neck tattoo in an online bet. Exclamation point needed.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Thanks to John Berman for that report.
Before we go, if you are tired of liking everything on Facebook, and let's face it, who isn't tired of that, there may soon be another option. CEO Mark Zuckerberg says they are working on a dislike button for Facebook. Something people have long asked for especially me. He says making something so simple is actually quite complicated but it should be ready for testing relatively soon.
Thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm John Vause. Please stay with us. I will be back with another hour of news after a very short break. You're watching CNN.
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VAUSE: The Donald Trump foreign policy speech that turned into a rant on illegal immigration.
Ben Carson surge. What's behind the soft-spoken candidate's recent rise in the polls.
Plus, stuck at the border. Thousands of asylum seekers in limbo as European leaders can't agree.
